Chapter Text
BEN
…
“Make yourself comfortable.” I tossed a pillow and blanket at Chance, annoyed that he had to stay at my house of all places.
“Thank you.” Chance arranged them on the floor against the wall. “Shame I couldn’t stay at Tory’s place. I’m more familiar with her floor than Kit would expect.”
“I’m well aware,” I snapped.
An awkward silence stretched as Chance tried to get comfortable.
“I didn’t hook up with her, you know,” he said quietly.
“That time?” I didn’t look at him, tugging a brush through my long black hair.
“That time,” he amended.
“So when did you?” I set down the brush just bit too hard. “In your office, when she spent the night?”
“We only kissed,” Chance said delicately. “And then she…told me she 'just couldn’t.'”
“Oh yeah?” I folded my arms, still refusing to look up. “Is that because she kissed me on my boat when we were running from the Phoenix guys?”
“She kissed me in my study—”
My voice rose slightly, and I spun, heated. “She kissed me in the woods before that, when we—”
We both stopped. Stared at each other as the idiocy of our argument sunk in.
“We’re such assholes,” Chance muttered.
A ghost of a smile. “Speak for yourself, Claybourne.”
I flipped off the lights, leaving only a small lamp glowing in the corner and climbed into bed.
“Is she going to make a decision?” Chance’s voice floated towards the ceiling. “Maybe we should start a boy band. You, me, Jason…any other guy who’s fallen in love with her since she got here.”
“In your dreams, rich boy.” I glanced over at Chance. “For what it’s worth, you’re not the worst person in the universe.”
“I could say the same about you. Maybe try attacking me less.”
“I’m still going to kick your ass if you kiss her again.”
“What if she chooses me?”
“I’ll still kick your ass,” I said wryly, although the anger had left my voice. “For totally unrelated reasons. Namely, you being a jackass throughout this entire ordeal. Keeping secrets. Writing files about Tory, like she's your damn property and not her own person.”
“That’s fair,” Chance said. “You're right. And I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye—”
“Understatement. I hated you. I’m still considering it.”
“I’m hoping we can clear this up for good,” Chance said, ignoring my last quip. “Now that there are no huge secrets between us. And none of us are Viral anymore.”
Viral.
It was like an anchor dropped onto my chest, and tears that had been brewing for a long time finally took hold.
The stress. The entire traumatic event. Being kidnapped by the government. Being chased by the Trinity. Losing our powers.
I turned my face to the wall, hoping Chance couldn’t see me.
“Are you okay?” He sounded shocked, standing up to hit the light switch. “Ben.”
For once, there was no taunt in his voice, no underlying current of bad blood.
“I’m good,” I managed. “Shut up.”
He leaned against the wall, clearly having no intention of shutting up.
“I feel responsible,” he said quietly. “I did this to you. I took your powers away.”
“You played yourself.” Muffled into a pillow.
“I did.”
“We did also trick you. A lot.” I hoped no visible evidence of my quick breakdown was visible on my face as I rolled out of bed and stood up.
“Self-preservation,” Chance said. “I get it.”
A look passed between us, and I took in the sensation of how odd our situation was. Again. I didn't think that would ever pass.
“About Tory…” I trailed off, not sure what to say.
“We’d both do anything for her,” Chance said. “Let’s leave it at that. And no matter what, no hard feelings.”
“I didn’t promise that.”
Chance snorted, flipping the lights off again and retreating to his corner. “You never change, Benjamin.”
“You’re damn right.”
As he drifted off, I tried to picture a life without flaring. A life where Tory chose Chance. Over me.
It was a difficult thought to process. But half of that was already real. Maybe it was time to change my outlook on life.
After all, I’d forgiven Chance. If I could do that, I could do anything. And, like I'd said before, Tory was her own person.
No matter what, we'd always be family.